CCGS Naalak Nappaaluk joins Canadian Coast Guard fleet

The Canadian Coast Guard has welcomed Canadian Coast Guard Ship (CCGS) Naalak Nappaaluk to its fleet at the Bedford Institute of Oceanography in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia.

Built in Canada at Seaspan’s Vancouver Shipyards, CCGS Naalak Nappaaluk becomes the largest science vessel in the Government of Canada’s fleet and will support science missions on Canada’s Atlantic coast.

This vessel will allow the Canadian Coast Guard to support scientists from Fisheries and Oceans Canada and Natural Resources Canada.

This offshore oceanographic science Vessel will support important ocean research, conduct critical missions, and improve Canada’s understanding of the Atlantic and Arctic Oceans.

The data and samples collected onboard this vessel will advance Canada’s domestic and international commitments to advance the sustainable management of the oceans.

This vessel was built under the National Shipbuilding Strategy (NSS), the Government of Canada’s commitment to renew its federal fleets while revitalizing Canada’s marine industry.

“I am pleased to welcome the CCGS Naalak Nappaaluk into service. This science ship stands as a testament to Canadian innovation, skilled shipbuilders, and the National Shipbuilding Strategy’s long-term vision. We are investing in both the future of ocean research and the resilience of coastal communities that depend on healthy seas,” David J. McGuinty, Minister of National Defence, said.

“Nova Scotia, and Atlantic Canada more broadly, is not a region waiting for opportunity; we create it. Dartmouth is already a hub for ocean technology, defence innovation, advanced research, and the talent that powers those sectors. As someone who has spent my career working to connect people to opportunity, I know that the greatest investments we can make, are in regions that have the drive, the ingenuity, and the infrastructure to deliver results. Atlantic Canada is one of those regions,” Lena Diab, Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, commented.

“The delivery of the CCGS Naalak Nappaaluk is exactly what the National Shipbuilding Strategy was designed to do. It means real work for Canadian shipbuilders, engineers, and suppliers from coast to coast. It means high-quality jobs today, and a stronger industrial base for tomorrow,” Joël Lightbound, Minister of Government Transformation, Public Works and Procurement and Quebec Lieutenant, stated.

“And it means Canada has the modern science and ocean capability we need to better understand, protect, and manage our waters. This is how we build long-term value: by investing in Canadian expertise, supporting good jobs here at home, and making sure public investments deliver lasting benefits for Canadians.”

Joanne Thompson, Minister of Fisheries, stated that in a changing ocean environment, Canada is strengthened by advanced technology and expertise that allow it to better monitor, understand, and respond to ocean challenges. She added that the CCGS Naalak Nappaaluk will support important scientific research in the Atlantic and Arctic oceans.

She further emphasized that this represents an investment in healthier oceans and in the coastal communities that depend on them.

The CCGS Naalak Nappaaluk will support the Government of Canada’s oceanographic science research for the next 30 years and beyond, as the Canadian Coast Guard’s primary east coast ocean science research vessel. It can accommodate up to 34 crew and 26 scientists and will be stationed at the Bedford Institute of Oceanography in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia.

The vessel features a large working deck capable of carrying a range of modular payloads to support its science missions, a large ocean sampling room, multiple laboratories, and modern technology to study and monitor ocean ecosystems. The unit is equipped to support search and rescue missions and environmental response efforts, when needed.

CCGS Naalak Nappaaluk is named after Nunavik elder Naalak Nappaaluk (1928-2010), who was known for his vast knowledge of animals, weather patterns, the sea and even the night sky. Nappaaluk was a skilled and respected community builder and harvester devoted to ensuring Inuit language, culture and knowledge.